XPRIZE selects 20 Healthspan finalists; ten teams will receive $1 million each and begin coordinated clinical trials

XPRIZE selects 20 Healthspan finalists; ten teams will receive $1 million each and begin coordinated clinical trials

From 2026 to 2029, the competition will test how different interventions affect muscle strength, cognition, and immune function in people aged 50–90.

On August 11, XPRIZE named the 20 Healthspan finalists. Ten of them will receive $1 million each and advance to coordinated trials. Each team’s trial will last up to one year.

The finalists are taking different approaches, including drugs and biologics, cellular and genetic interventions, and personalized programs that combine existing drugs with lifestyle changes. To make the results comparable, the University of Utah Data Coordinating Center will oversee the trials and manage the data.

The Stein Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California San Diego will serve as the central laboratory and biobank, a repository for blood, tissue, and other participant samples. As the university reports, the institute will establish standardized trial procedures, sample handling rules, and laboratory testing methods. It will store samples, compile results, monitor data quality, and provide the judges with results that do not identify the teams.

Standardized rules for collecting, transporting, and analyzing blood are especially important for comparing immune measures in XPRIZE. During the new phase, all teams will follow the same rules, allowing the judges to compare results from different programs in a consistent format.